Paul Mantee

December 22, 1991 | Joanna Kavanagh, Kavanagh is a free-lance writer based in New York

Actor/author Paul Mantee hasn't left out a single ingredient in this delicious first novel. Peter Russo, screenwriter, in a black depression over a six-month-old divorce, is also battling a monstrous writer's block. When his surly Olympia manual typewriter ("the upstairs oracle") scares him by starting to sweet-talk/bully him into getting off his duff and back to work, Peter embarks on a familiar, escapist pastime--cooking.

Paul Mantee Actor known for 'Robinson Crusoe on Mars' Paul Mantee, 82, a veteran actor who starred in the 1964 science-fiction adventure film "Robinson Crusoe on Mars" and had a regular role as Detective Al Corassa on the 1980s TV series "Cagney and Lacey" before turning to fiction writing, died Nov. 7 at a rehabilitation center in Canoga Park, according to his wife, Suzy Davis Mantee. The longtime Malibu resident had non-Hodgkin's lymphoma. He was born Paul Marianetti on Jan. 9, 1931, in San Francisco and as a teenager worked as a busboy in his family's Italian restaurant before becoming interested in acting.

Thank you for your piece on Catherine Morris and Jeff Dietrich ("A Practical Gospel," Aug. 23). It's refreshing finally to read what the other Christians are up to these days: feeding the hungry and clothing the poor. Radical, indeed. PAUL MANTEE

Re "In the thick of Prop. 8 fight," Dec. 21 We can only pray to whatever deity we believe in that Proposition 8 will be overturned and that Abel and Robbie Ferreira will continue to live in a gated community. Lucky for the rest of us that their views based on fairy tales such as the Garden of Eden and explicit knowledge of what "God hates" remain locked up tight and away from the general public. Kudos to them for sanctioning counseling for people who are struggling with the same-sex urges they were born with; very much like struggling against an elbow.

What Donna Goldstein and other parents driven by the promise of stardom (July 26) for their offspring need to know is that The Times' photo of young Alyssa far better represents who and what she is at this stage of the game than the glamour chick in the 8x10 glossy she holds. And that the best acting class for a 14-year-old involves learning to read hard and play well. PAUL MANTEE Malibu

I read with sadness the sentiment of an American Marine captain at being delighted that people in Indonesia are much nicer to him than they are in Iraq (Jan. 11). I may well be behind the times. Is it no longer axiomatic that handing out food and candy to devastated children engenders a different response than laying waste to a country in the name of democracy? Paul Mantee Malibu

BRUNO OF HOLLYWOOD by Paul Mantee (Ballantine: $18; 234 pp.) Give him time; he'll settle into it. For now, Paul Mantee--veteran actor of heavies; novice novelist of lights--writes with a natural exuberance, an unmistakable flair for the comic characterization, the bon mot. Just needs to rein it in a little, is all. Following "In Search of the Perfect Ravioli," a memoir with tomato sauce, Mantee unleashes "Bruno of Hollywood," the tale of a postwar actor in search of a gig.

My husband and I lost our home to a fire while we were on vacation nearly three years ago ("After Your House Burns Down," by Jane Marla Robbins, Nov. 4). We lost everything, including our two dear cats. We went through the pain as Robbins described in her article. I was shocked when my friends would say, "You are so lucky, you get to buy everything new." I pretty much liked what I had and didn't like power shopping for silverware, kettles or clothes. We no longer collect things. We have the bare necessities.

Re "In the thick of Prop. 8 fight," Dec. 21 We can only pray to whatever deity we believe in that Proposition 8 will be overturned and that Abel and Robbie Ferreira will continue to live in a gated community. Lucky for the rest of us that their views based on fairy tales such as the Garden of Eden and explicit knowledge of what "God hates" remain locked up tight and away from the general public. Kudos to them for sanctioning counseling for people who are struggling with the same-sex urges they were born with; very much like struggling against an elbow.

Re "Rep. Barbara Lee: Rowing Against the Tide," Opinion, Sept. 23: Much has been made of Rep. Barbara Lee's (D-Oakland) opposition to the authorization of the use of military force in response to the appalling Sept. 11 terrorist attacks on America. The California Democrat was outvoted in the U.S. House of Representatives 420 to 1. One can't help but draw a parallel to Jeannette Rankin, the Republican from Montana who was the sole member of the House to vote against America's entry into World War II after the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor.

I read with sadness the sentiment of an American Marine captain at being delighted that people in Indonesia are much nicer to him than they are in Iraq (Jan. 11). I may well be behind the times. Is it no longer axiomatic that handing out food and candy to devastated children engenders a different response than laying waste to a country in the name of democracy? Paul Mantee Malibu

My husband and I lost our home to a fire while we were on vacation nearly three years ago ("After Your House Burns Down," by Jane Marla Robbins, Nov. 4). We lost everything, including our two dear cats. We went through the pain as Robbins described in her article. I was shocked when my friends would say, "You are so lucky, you get to buy everything new." I pretty much liked what I had and didn't like power shopping for silverware, kettles or clothes. We no longer collect things. We have the bare necessities.

Re "Rep. Barbara Lee: Rowing Against the Tide," Opinion, Sept. 23: Much has been made of Rep. Barbara Lee's (D-Oakland) opposition to the authorization of the use of military force in response to the appalling Sept. 11 terrorist attacks on America. The California Democrat was outvoted in the U.S. House of Representatives 420 to 1. One can't help but draw a parallel to Jeannette Rankin, the Republican from Montana who was the sole member of the House to vote against America's entry into World War II after the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor.

What Donna Goldstein and other parents driven by the promise of stardom (July 26) for their offspring need to know is that The Times' photo of young Alyssa far better represents who and what she is at this stage of the game than the glamour chick in the 8x10 glossy she holds. And that the best acting class for a 14-year-old involves learning to read hard and play well. PAUL MANTEE Malibu

Thank you for your piece on Catherine Morris and Jeff Dietrich ("A Practical Gospel," Aug. 23). It's refreshing finally to read what the other Christians are up to these days: feeding the hungry and clothing the poor. Radical, indeed. PAUL MANTEE

BRUNO OF HOLLYWOOD by Paul Mantee (Ballantine: $18; 234 pp.) Give him time; he'll settle into it. For now, Paul Mantee--veteran actor of heavies; novice novelist of lights--writes with a natural exuberance, an unmistakable flair for the comic characterization, the bon mot. Just needs to rein it in a little, is all. Following "In Search of the Perfect Ravioli," a memoir with tomato sauce, Mantee unleashes "Bruno of Hollywood," the tale of a postwar actor in search of a gig.

Paul Mantee Actor known for 'Robinson Crusoe on Mars' Paul Mantee, 82, a veteran actor who starred in the 1964 science-fiction adventure film "Robinson Crusoe on Mars" and had a regular role as Detective Al Corassa on the 1980s TV series "Cagney and Lacey" before turning to fiction writing, died Nov. 7 at a rehabilitation center in Canoga Park, according to his wife, Suzy Davis Mantee. The longtime Malibu resident had non-Hodgkin's lymphoma. He was born Paul Marianetti on Jan. 9, 1931, in San Francisco and as a teenager worked as a busboy in his family's Italian restaurant before becoming interested in acting.

Joanna Kavanagh's review of Paul Mantee's "In Search of the Perfect Ravioli" (Dec. 22) was excellent, but she says that Paul Stewart was the author of "Where did you go?" "Out." "What did you do?" "Nothing." That wonderful 1957 best seller was written by Robert Paul Smith. JERRY COWLE, PACIFIC PALISADES

December 22, 1991 | Joanna Kavanagh, Kavanagh is a free-lance writer based in New York

Actor/author Paul Mantee hasn't left out a single ingredient in this delicious first novel. Peter Russo, screenwriter, in a black depression over a six-month-old divorce, is also battling a monstrous writer's block. When his surly Olympia manual typewriter ("the upstairs oracle") scares him by starting to sweet-talk/bully him into getting off his duff and back to work, Peter embarks on a familiar, escapist pastime--cooking.